December 3-5, 2010

NC State AT Syracuse Saturday, 5:30 p.m., Carrier Dome, ESPN2

IN THE

DECEMBER 3-5, 2010

PAINT A publication of

Getting there Halfway through non-conference slate, Syracuse strives for consistency

Page 3

Why Rick Jackson is Syracuse’s MVP

Pages 6-7 Breakdown of Syracuse vs NC State

Page 11

Position matchups of Saturday’s game

nate shron | staff photographer

2 december 3-5, 2 010

sports@ da ilyor a nge.com

fan perspectives compiled by mark cooper | asst. copy editor

Jim Boeheim recently said this year’s team is “overrated.” What do you think?

t h e i n de pe n de n t s t u de n t n e w spa pe r of sy r acuse, new york

Katie McInerney

Kathleen Ronayne

editor in chief

managing editor

Sports Editor Presentation Director Photo Editor Copy Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editor Asst. Sports Copy Editor Asst. Sports Copy Editor

Andrew L. John Becca McGovern Bridget Streeter Susan Kim Brett LoGiurato Tony Olivero Kirsten Celo Danielle Parhizkaran Michael Cohen Mark Cooper

General Manager IT Manager IT Manager Circulation Manager Advertising Representative Advertising Representative Advertising Representative Advertising Representative Advertising Representative Advertising Designer Advertising Designer Classifieds Manager Senior Advertising Designer Advertising Design Coordinator Special Advertising Sections Student Business Manager Business Intern Business Intern

Peter Waack Mike Escalante Derek Ostrander Harold Heron Adam Beilman Eric Forman Kelsey Hoffman Bonnie Jones Adam Schatz Dom Denaro Matt Smiroldo Michael Kang Lauren Harms Lauren Geniviva Michelle Chiu Rebekah Jones Tim Bennett Chenming Mo

“I think the team has a lot of talent “I’d have to agree. They’re starting but they don’t have a lot of chemistry.” to get it together more now though.”

Christopher Williamson

Freshman Broadcast Journalism Major

Brandon Neddo

Sophomore Aerospace Engineering Major

We ather today

H41| L36

tomorrow

H43| L27

sunday

H44| L39

“I don’t think we’re overrated because we haven’t lost, but we haven’t dominated.”

Michelle Diez

Freshman Accounting Major

“They’re overrated. Honestly, they shouldn’t be Top 25.”

Benjamin Delossantos

Junior Communications and Rhetorical Studies Major

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december 3-5, 2 010

3

Minute

MAN Jackson assumes fresh role in senior year as Syracuse’s tireless early-season MVP

By Tony Olivero Asst. Sports Editor

F

or three long years, Rick Jackson says Jim Boeheim’s words have echoed in his thoughts.

“Be in shape to play 40 minutes.”

Forty minutes: An entire game of the power forward Jackson lumbering up and down the Carrier Dome court. Talk of playing 40 minutes would have been blasphemy when watching the 240-pound Jackson trudge through 26.3 minutes per game as a junior last year. Jackson simply couldn’t do it. He couldn’t run for more than 35 minutes in a single game last year, never mind 40.

He wasn’t in shape.

“Me losing that weight was key,” Jackson said after Syracuse’s 78-58 win over Cornell Tuesday.

Forty minutes in 2010, though — if needed, it’s expected. Through No. 8 SU’s first seven games of the season, Jackson has played a full 40 minutes twice.

Thanks to shedding 25 pounds, Jackson has pulled a 180-degree turn with regards to how many minutes he can provide. He never played a full 40 minutes prior to this season. Talk of him playing a whole game has gone from profane to predicted.

He is averaging 34.6 minutes per game, and as a result, his production has improved. He is the undeniable MVP of the Orange through a rocky start to the season. Jackson has been the sole bright spot in Boeheim’s eyes. Jackson will have to continue to play close to 40 minutes Saturday, as North Carolina State (4-2) comes to the Dome (5:30 p.m., ESPN2).

Despite Jackson’s affinity to play entire games, Boeheim’s 2010 team has grown notorious for not putting together a full 40 minutes. He and SU’s players have let it be known at various points.

“We have a lot of work to do,” Boeheim said after the Cornell game. “We can’t seem to get it together for 40 see nc state page 4

nate shron | staff photographer rick jackson (00) has been steady for Syracuse in the early-going this season, posting six straight double-doubles. Jackson, who shed 25 pounds this offseason, was named tournament MVP after SU won the Legends Classic.

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KEYS

for Syracuse against North Carolina State

1

PUT THE GAME OUT OF REACH EARLY

That’s what Syracuse did in its 78-58 victory over Cornell Tuesday, and so a second half during which the Orange was outscored didn’t matter. North Carolina State’s offense has struggled, as evidenced by its loss Wednesday to Wisconsin in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

The Wolfpack went more than 10 minutes without scoring a point, as the Badgers went on a 23-0 run that spanned the end of the first and beginning of the second halves. NC State went scoreless for 10:12 total, going 0-for-11 from the field and committing seven turnovers. Syracuse needs to avoid another close first half against a team it should beat.

2

SCOOP JARDINE NEEDS TO GET OUT OF HIS FUNK

Jardine is 9-of-42 (21.4 percent) from the field since he posted a career-high 27 points against Detroit on Nov. 16. SU head coach Jim Boeheim went off on Jardine’s performance after Cornell, a game in which he shot 0-for-5 — including 0-for-4 from beyond the arc — and was held scoreless. Boeheim said Jardine was “horrible.” He is doing a good job of staying involved — as evidenced by his seven assists against Cornell — but he needs to start scoring again.

3

NC STATE FROM PAGE 3

minutes.”

Tuesday, it was a case of a poor second half for the Orange. Cornell outscored SU 41-40. In the first four games of the season, the problem was the first half. SU’s initial problem was a lack of an animalistic mindset from the outset. In its last game, it failed to finish the game the way the team started — like animals muzzling the Big Red with its 2-3 zone, running Cornell out of the Dome.

Jackson, however, has been the animal. He’ll say as much. There is no other way for him to play the game now.

“Right now,” he said Tuesday, “down on the defensive end is being an animal around the basket.”

The animal is the MVP, the most important player on the floor for Boeheim. He’s needed for the entire game.

Sometimes, even, an entire tournament.

Or close to it, as Jackson garnered Legends Classic MVP honors this past weekend. He played 78 of 80 minutes at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., carrying SU to wins that should have been much easier against Michigan and Georgia Tech.

Much like Jonny Flynn in the 2008-09 season — a season that was highlighted by Flynn’s 181-minute instant-classic performance at Madison Square Garden — Jackson is needed for every vital minute for the Orange. The numbers say that. And they are numbers that have come

not in a frenetic Big East tournament run.

Rather, against seven menial opponents.

In SU’s last five games, Jackson has played 180 of 200 minutes. There is where that 180-degree turnaround surfaces. Almost literally.

Like Flynn then, Syracuse can’t win without Jackson now.

“He’s really established himself as our enforcer,” SU guard Scoop Jardine said. “Every game he plays, he leaves everything out there on the floor.”

Jackson is third in the nation, averaging 13 rebounds per game. He is also second on the team in points per game with 12.7 and is first in field-goal percentage, shooting 57 percent.

But of all the numbers, the number that matters is 40. For the former role player, he knows that is his role this year.

Jackson, though, will still tell you he is still a role player. This year is just a case of a player inhabiting a different role. His role now is what Flynn’s formerly was. The numbers reflect that, and he isn’t surprised.

Unsurprised, much like he was in Atlantic City last weekend, reckoning he would lay claim to the Legends Classic MVP award.

Minutes after his head coach played him for 40 minutes against Georgia Tech, Jackson needed less than a second to answer a question regarding the MVP honor.

It echoed in his thoughts for a split second.

Not three years.

Did he expect the MVP award?

Said Jackson: “I’m not surprised at all.” aolivero@syr.edu

RICK THE INDISPENSABLE?

In Syracuse’s last five games, Rick Jackson has played 180 of a possible 200 minutes. The senior power forward has become the early season’s version of Jonny Flynn circa 2009.

Jackson’s minutes-played are almost identical to Flynn’s from Flynn’s legendary Big East MVP Tournament performance in 2009. And that performance came during a vital stretch at the end of SU’s season – highlighted by SU’s six overtime epic against Connecticut. Jackson’s numbers are coming against inferior early season opponents. Here’s the breakdown:

Jonny Flynn, Big East Tournament 2009

RICK JACKSON NEEDS TO CONTINUE HIS STRONG PLAY

When Jardine and SU’s other veterans — Brandon Triche and Kris Joseph — have thus far played rather inconsistently, Jackson has been the Orange’s rock all season. At this point, he’s almost a guaranteed lock to put up a double-double. He has led the Orange with his scoring in certain games — against Canisius — and with his rebounding, like in his 22-board performance in the next contest against Detroit. He continued his strong play with 17 points and 13 rebounds Tuesday against Cornell. With so much uncertainty surrounding the Orange in most areas, Jackson needs to keep playing the role of that rock.

— Compiled by Brett LoGiurato, asst. sports editor, bplogiur@syr.edu

OPPONENT

Seton Hall Connecticut West Virginia Louisville Total

W/L

W W, 6OT W, OT L

MINUTES PLAYED/TOTAL MINUTES

35/40 67/70 45/45 34/40 181/195

Rick Jackson, Nov. 16 to Nov. 30, 2010 OPPONENT

Detroit William & Mary Michigan Georgia Tech Cornell Total

W/L

W W W W W

MINUTES PLAYED/TOTAL MINUTES

40/40 31/40 38/40 40/40 31/40 180/200

—Compiled by Tony Olivero, asst. sports editor, aolivero@syr.edu

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december 3-5, 2 010

Last time they played For Syracuse, it was a game to be forgotten.

The Orangemen played “playground basketball.” That’s how interim SU head coach Bernie Fine termed it. The product SU put on the floor on Dec. 8, 2001, looked nothing like the team that won its first nine games to start NC STATE 82 the 2001-02 season.

Even the bench looked SYRACUSE 68 different. That’s because head coach Jim Boeheim missed his second consecutive game after undergoing prostate surgery. Assistant coach Fine was the head man.

North Carolina State, at the time a middle-ofthe-pack ACC team, defeated Syracuse 82-68 in the Carrier Dome, handing the Orangemen its first loss of the 2001-02 season.

“I’m embarrassed, and I’ll take the blame for this,” Fine said. “Because Coach Boeheim doesn’t teach them to play basketball like this, and that’s not a Syracuse team the way we played. We did not do a good job.”

The loss was Syracuse’s first to an unranked nonconference opponent since a loss to Ohio in 1998. The Wolfpack jumped out to a quick 16-5 lead to start the game, and even though Syracuse closed the gap to two, 35-33, at halftime, the Orangemen never got in a rhythm offensively or defensively.

Syracuse was outrebounded 34-30, turned the ball over 17 times and allowed N.C. State to shoot almost 54 percent from the field.

“It’s a sad day at the office, that’s all I can really say,” SU guard Kueth Duany said. “I just didn’t play well.”

Offensively, Syracuse reverted to a selfish form of basketball. Bad shots led to quick one-

and-done possessions. At times, SU would hit a couple of quick shots to make the game close, but at other times, the Orangemen went cold and didn’t score for four minutes.

Preston Shumpert was Syracuse’s bright spot, scoring 29 points. But on the opposite end of the spectrum sat guard DeShaun Williams.

In his second game returning from suspension, Williams shot just 6-of-16 and turned the ball over five times.

“DeShaun thought he was in the playground instead of playing for Syracuse,” Fine said. “He didn’t get us in our offense. He tried to go one-onone too many times. He took some bad shots, and we went over this a few times.”

Little did Syracuse know at the time, but this loss was the first of what would be many as the Orangemen collapsed down the stretch of the 2001-02 season. After winning its first nine games and starting out 16-2, Syracuse lost eight of 12 games through the end of the regular season and Big East tournament.

A season that began so successfully ended in the National Invitation Tournament. And the first of those 10 losses that kept SU out of the NCAA Tournament was against N.C. State. The Orangemen had a nice comeback win the year before against the Wolfpack, erasing an 11-point deficit en route to a one-point victory.

But this time, N.C. State held on, partly due to poor play by Syracuse.

“I don’t think they really, really, truly believed that we could come back,” Shumpert said of his teammates. “That’s probably the main factor.”

— Compiled by Mark Cooper, asst. copy editor, mcooperj@syr.edu

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HALF-COURT SHOTS NORTH CAROLINA STATE AT 8 SYRACUSE

(4-2)

AP TOP 25

SATURDAY, 5:30 P.M., CARRIER DOME

as of Dec. 2

1.

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Duke (65) Ohio State Pittsburgh Kansas Kansas State Michigan State Connecticut Syracuse Missouri Kentucky Baylor Villanova Tennessee Memphis Minnesota Georgetown San Diego State Florida Texas Illinois Brigham Young Purdue Washington UNLV Notre Dame

USA TODAY/ESPN

STARTING LINEUP

BEAT WRITER PREDICTIONS

POINT GUARD

SHOOTING GUARD

SMALL FORWARD

POWER FORWARD

CENTER

COACHES Syracuse 76, N.C. State 67

Hard to believe this team will still be undefeated by this time next week. But the unbeaten streak continues this weekend.

SCOOP JARDINE

BRANDON TRICHE

6-2, 190, JR. 11.0 PPG, 7.0 APG

6-4, 205, SO. 8.3 PPG, 3.4 APG

KRIS JOSEPH

6-7, 210, JR. 14.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG

RICK JACKSON

6-9, 240, SR. 12.7 PPG, 13.0 RPG

FAB MELO

JIM BOEHEIM

7-0, 244, FR. 2.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG

836-293 34 seasons

Syracuse 68, N.C. State 61

BRETT LOGIURATO

JAVIER GONZALEZ

LORENZO BROWN

6-0, 176, SR. 5.5 PPG, 2.7 APG Jardine has shot just 9-of42 (21.4 percent) from the field after a career night against Detroit. He’ll look to respond to Jim Boeheim’s criticism of his play after SU’s win over Cornell.

SCOTT WOOD

C.J. LESLIE

DeSHAWN PAINTER

6-5, 186, FR. 11.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG

6-6, 177, SO. 11.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG

6-8, 206, FR. 8.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG

6-9, 227, SO. 7.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG

Brown is second on the team in scoring as a freshman. Along with Jardine, Triche has struggled recently. He’s had only one double-digit scoring game all season.

Wood has started all 42 games he has played in over a two-season span. Joseph has hit his stride lately, averaging 19 points over the past three games.

To this point, Jackson has been basically guaranteed to post a double-double, which he has done in six of seven games this season. Leslie was the ACC Rookie of the Week after he scored 21 against Tennessee Tech on Nov. 12.

Melo took a substantial first step against Cornell, scoring eight points, grabbing seven rebounds and blocking four shots. Painter has filled in admirably for the injured Tracy Smith, scoring in double figures in three of five games since Smith’s injury.

RANKINGS TRACKER 1 2 3 4

After winning Legends Classic in Altantic City, N.J., Syracuse rises to highest ranking yet.

Even if Jim Boeheim feels his team is underperforming.

5 6 7 8 9

75-64 4 seasons

Boeheim needs a happy press conference one of these times at the Carrier Dome. Lowe doesn’t have much to be happy about himself after a 39-point loss to Wisconsin Wednesday.

Another test to see if the Orange is Top 10 worthy. Again, SU will do enough, but Boeheim won’t be happy.

TONY OLIVERO

FREE THROWS North Carolina State’s top six scorers this season are all either freshmen or sophomores.

The last time these two teams met, the Wolfpack upset a ninthranked Syracuse team 82-68.

“We have a lot of work to do. We can’t seem to get it together for 40 minutes.”

Jim Boeheim

SU HEAD COACH

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Syracuse 72, N.C. State 58

SIDNEY LOWE

THEY SAID IT

Data based on AP Top 25 poll

rank

Duke (31) Ohio State Pittsburgh Kansas Kansas State Michigan State Syracuse Missouri Connecticut Baylor Kentucky Villanova Minnesota Georgetown Memphis Florida Tennessee Purdue San Diego State Texas Illinois Washington UNLV Gonzaga Brigham Young

ANDREW L. JOHN

The weirdest 8-0 start to a season ever. Jim Boeheim needs a Wolfpack.

as of Dec. 2

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(7-0)

STAT TO KNOW Scott Wood shoots 42.5 percent from beyond the arc. The rest of the Wolfpack shoots 21.8 percent (12-for-55).

“We’ve been looking for it all year.

We just haven’t found it.”

Scoop Jardine

SU GUARD

FORTUNE COOKIE olfpack, it just Syracuse’s W one. grew by

Pre week

2

3

4

MICHIGAN STATE

COLGATE

IONA

WEST VIRGINIA MORGAN STATE

DREXEL 22 VILLANOVA

DEC. 7, 9 P.M.

DEC. 11, 7 P.M.

DEC. 18, 7 P.M.

20, 7ESPN P.M. FEB.DEC. 4, 7 P.M.

22, 7ESPN P.M. FEB.DEC. 7, NOON

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Around the Nation POINTS PER GAME PLAYER

1. K. Walker 2. A. Bose 3. D. Sims 4. A. Oliver 5. R. Johnson

TEAM

Connecticut Nicholls State Appalachian State San Jose State Mississippi State

PPG

30.0 27.4 26.5 26.0 25.4

REBOUNDS PER GAME PLAYER

1. R. Rossiter 2. K. Faried 3. R. Jackson 4. K. Benson 5. C. Gaston

TEAM

Siena Morehead State Syracuse Oakland Fordham

RPG

14.5 14.0 13.0 12.8 12.5

ASSISTS PER GAME PLAYER

1. A. Johnson 2. D. McCamey 3. K. Galloway 4. C. Wright 5. C. De La Rosa

TEAM

Alabama-Birmingham Illinois Texas Southern Georgetown Maryland-Baltimore County

APG

9.0 7.8 7.5 7.4 7.3

WEEK

OF THE

NATIONAL LEADERS

GAMES BUTLER (4-2) VS. NO. 1 DUKE (7-0) Saturday, Dec. 4, 3:15 p.m., ESPN Izod Center, East Rutherford, N.J.

This rematch of last season’s NCAA championship game features two very different teams. Yes, Duke returned Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler, but the Blue Devils lost All-ACC guard Jon Scheyer and 7-footer Brian Zoubek and are now led by star freshman guard Kyrie Irvin. Butler lost Gordon Hayward, who was an NBA lottery pick in June, and Willie Veasley from a team that took the NCAA Tournament by storm in March. Duke appears to be the real deal, but Butler still has something to prove.

NO. 10 KENTUCKY (5-1) AT NORTH CAROLINA (4-3) Saturday, Dec. 4, 12:30 p.m., CBS Dean Smith Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.

North Carolina has a new look this year. Deon Thompson, Marcus Ginyard, Ed Davis and Will Graves are gone. Instead, the likes of Harrison Barnes, Tyler Zeller and John Henson — all former McDonald’s All-Americans — are leading UNC’s charge back to respectability after missing the NCAA Tournament a year ago. But it is a slow process, as losses to Minnesota, Vanderbilt and No. 20 Illinois have left Carolina reeling. Kentucky has reloaded after losing fi ve players to the NBA in June. Led by the freshman duo of Terrence Jones and Brandon Knight, UK has been rolling early.

NO. 21 ILLINOIS (7-1) VS. NO. 24 GONZAGA (4-2) Saturday, Dec. 4, 5:15 p.m., ESPN Key Arena, Seattle, Wash.

Explore your color horizons.

Or just keep staring.

Though this isn’t a home game, it might as well be. Illinois will travel more than 2,000 miles to Seattle to face Gonzaga in its home state. Senior guard Steven Gray has looked like an All-American candidate in the early going for the Bulldogs, making up for the loss of leading scorer Matt Bouldin. Illinois looks like a legitimate Big Ten title contender, however, with fi ve players averaging double figures in scoring and a crop of talented players with experience.

UTAH STATE (5-1) AT NO. 14 GEORGETOWN (7-0) Saturday, Dec. 4, noon, ESPNU Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.

This could be an easy win for Georgetown, with its three-guard tandem of Austin Freeman, Chris Wright and Jason Clark playing so well in the early going. But don’t expect this one will be a blowout. The Aggies have been a relatively consistent NCAA Tournament team over the years and have a squad with multiple players who can score both inside and out. If Georgetown has an off shooting night, Utah State could have a chance.

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9

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Center of progress Through ongoing practice battles, Leary, Alexander further each other’s games

By Michael Cohen Asst. copy editor

K

ayla Alexander couldn’t escape the thorn in her side. She felt it every day in practice. Wherever she was on the court, the thorn went, too poking, prodding and taking her out of her game.

“With her, last year in practice was constantly a battle,” said Alexander, Syracuse’s sophomore center.

Alexander was referring to a counterpart that instigated a physical war whenever she was on the court. That made life difficult for Alexander. That was the 6-foot-3, redshirt freshman Shakeya Leary.

“When we’re on the court, we’re totally enemies,” Leary said.

Sitting out her first season in Syracuse, Leary guarded Alexander during every single practice.

Head coach Quentin Hillsman made sure they never played on the same team, realizing how each could make the other better. Both play the center position for Syracuse but with drastically different styles. Alexander gives much of the credit for her Big East All-Freshman recognition to Leary. And in return, her pupil says she wouldn’t have been ready to step out onto the court in 2010 were it not for the experience of playing against Alexander all last season.

Saturday, the Orange (5-0) takes on Delaware State (1-4) in the Carrier Dome at noon. It’s a game in which both Alexander and Leary should be able to dominate against a team whose starting center is just 6-foot-1.

When asked if Leary was the most physical presence she faced all of last season, Alexander had to think on it but eventually said yes. Even more physical than Connecticut’s Tina Charles.

Listed as an inch shorter than the 6-foot-4 Alexander, Leary works tirelessly in practice to keep her counterpart away from the post area.

And in Hillsman’s practices ― where fouls are called sparingly ― this can mean pushing, shoving or anything else her coach doesn’t deem

“flagrant.”

“Shakeya’s a very physical player,” Hillsman said. “She’ll put a body on you and do the things she needs to do to keep Kayla away from the basket. I think it’s important to get used to playing through contact and being physical and being aggressive.”

In addition to improving Alexander’s strength, Leary assisted in the development of her defensive game, as well. Leary is a guard trapped in a center’s body, said teammate Iasia Hemingway, meaning she likes to turn and face the basket with the ball in her hands.

Able to palm the basketball easily, Leary has the ability to put the ball on the floor and attack off the dribble. This is in stark contrast to Alexander, who rarely dribbles during the course of the game.

As a result, Alexander had to leave the paint on defense to guard a player with a contrasting skill set.

“It makes me buckle down, play real defense, and it gets me better,” Alexander said. “I’m going to come across players just like Shakeya who can start with the ball outside. She helps me prepare for that and defend them.”

But both players are quick to say the physicality doesn’t leave the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center. Off the court, Alexander and Leary are roommates. And it is in this nonbasketball setting that Leary learned even more about how to get ready to play in the Big East this season.

Leary said she would constantly ask Alexander what game experience was like and just how tough it was to play in the nation’s biggest conference.

“I always go to her for everything,” Leary said. “With her help and working hard in practice, it’s easier for me in games.”

Thus far, those battles in practice and inquisitive conversations at home are paying off for

robert storm | staff photographer shakeya leary (34) redshirted last season and watched Kayla Alexander play center for Syracuse. This season, both Leary and Alexander have dominated the paint for SU. the Orange. Alexander is averaging nearly 18 points per game as the starting center once again seven points higher than her average last year.

Leary, serving as Alexander’s backup, is averaging six points and six rebounds in 13 minutes of playing time per game. She’s shooting an impressive 47 percent from the field and 91 percent from the free-throw line.

“They’ve been very good for each other,” Hillsman said. “When you have competition every day, that makes you better. … It obviously helps you.”

But perhaps the most rewarding part of having Leary on the court this season for Alexander is watching other interior players deal with her level of physicality. She has played just five games, but Leary has scored 13 points and nine rebounds against Long Island and led the team in rebounding against Cornell.

The thorn no longer resides solely in Alexander’s side.

Said Alexander: “I’m ecstatic now that she’s finally on the floor and doing damage to other people instead of me.” mjcohe02@syr.edu

10 d e c e m b e r 3 - 5 , 2 0 1 0

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Around the Big East BIG EAST TEAMS IN NATIONAL RANKINGS

3.

Pittsburgh (8-0)

7.

Connecticut

8.

Syracuse

12.

16.

25.

(6-0)

(7-0)

Villanova (5-1)

Georgetown (7-0)

Notre Dame (8-0)

GAMES

WEEK

OF THE

TOP 6

NO. 12 VILLANOVA VS. ST. JOSEPH’S Villanova, Pa. Friday, Dec. 3, 8:30 p.m.

Villanova (5-1) returns to action for the first time after suffering its first loss of the year against No. 13 Tennessee in the NIT Season Tip-Off championship. The team will take on St. Joe’s (3-3), which, like Villanova, is one of Philadelphia’s Big 5 schools. The Atlantic 10 conference is always dangerous, and this game marks the 68th meeting between the city rivals. Senior guard Corey Fisher, who allegedly scored 105 points in a street ball game this summer, leads the Wildcats with 15.8 points per game.

But ‘Nova’s biggest advantage may come in its frontcourt play. The Hawks were outrebounded 41-19 in a 62-50 loss to Drexel Wednesday.

WEST VIRGINIA VS. MIAMI Coral Gables, Fla. Saturday, Dec. 4, 4 p.m.

The Mountaineers (5-1) travel to Miami (5-2) Saturday for its first true road game of the year. On paper, this matchup away from home against an ACC foe looks like the toughest for any Big East team this weekend. The Hurricanes beat Mississippi Tuesday but have already suffered two losses this year, including a 16-point setback at Rutgers. West Virginia will rely heavily on senior guard Casey Mitchell, who shoots 42 percent from beyond the arc and is averaging 22.3 points per game. Miami’s 6-foot-10 sophomore Reggie Johnson could pose problems for WVU. He is averaging a doubledouble, while no Mountaineer is pulling in more than 6.5 rebounds per game.

PROVIDENCE VS. RHODE ISLAND Providence, R.I. Saturday, Dec. 4, 4 p.m.

This game marks the 121st meeting in this in-state rivalry. The Friars (7-1) have not made the NCAA Tournament since the 2003-04 season, and the team’s first loss this year came against La Salle in Cancun. Rhode Island (5-2), meanwhile, nearly pulled off a stunning upset against No. 3 Pittsburgh in its first game this year. Senior forward Delroy James powers the Rams attack with just more than 20 points per game. Providence senior Marshon Brooks leads the Friars in scoring, but URI held him to just four points in its 86-82 victory a season ago.

SCHEDULE FRIDAY, DEC. 3

No. 7 Connecticut vs. UMBC No. 12 Villanova vs. St. Joseph’s

SATURDAY, DEC. 4

No. 16 Georgetown vs. Utah State Louisville vs. South Alabama No. 3 Pittsburgh vs. Rider Marquette vs. Longwood West Virginia at Miami Providence vs. Rhode Island No. 8 Syracuse vs. N.C. State Cincinnati at Toledo South Florida at Florida Atlantic

SUNDAY, DEC. 5

DePaul vs. Central Michigan

7 p.m.

8:30 p.m.

Noon 1 p.m.

2 p.m.

2 p.m.

4 p.m.

4 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

7 p.m.

8 p.m.

6 p.m.

BIG EAST LEADERS SCORING PLAYER

Kemba Walker Casey Mitchell Austin Freeman Marshon Brooks Ashton Gibbs

SCHOOL

Connecticut West Virginia Georgetown Providence Pittsburgh

PPG

30.0 22.3 21.7 19.4 18.6

REBOUNDING PLAYER

Rick Jackson Alex Oriakhi Bilal Dixon Marshon Brooks Mouphtaou Yarou

SCHOOL

Syracuse Connecticut Providence Providence Villanova

RPG

13.0 11.7 9.8 8.6 8.5

ASSISTS PLAYER

Chris Wright Scoop Jardine Maalik Wayns Vincent Council Brad Wanamaker

SCHOOL

Georgetown Syracuse Villanova Providence Pittsburgh

APG

7.4 7.0 5.8 5.3 5.0

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december 3-5, 2 010

On the block

COACHING

Jim Boeheim vs, Sidney Lowe

Sidney Lowe has yet to take the Wolfpack to the NCAA Tournament in his four years at the helm. The former N.C. State and NBA point guard, who also coached the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies for two and a half years, perhaps has the talent to do it this year. But he still has not done enough in his coaching career to come close to Boeheim’s level. Boeheim, on the other hand, is looking to mesh his four returning veterans with his highly touted group of freshmen, and it has been rough so far. Saturday, Boeheim will need to get the best out of his core group to avoid a potential upset. He can handle that.

A position-by-position look at the game

Advantage: Syracuse

—Compiled by Andrew L. John, sports editor, aljohn@syr.edu

SMALL FORWARD

POINT GUARD

Kris Joseph vs. Scott Wood

Scoop Jardine vs. Javier Gonzalez

The Orange has been waiting for Kris Joseph to take that next step, and it may have happened last weekend in Atlantic City, N.J. The 6-foot-7 forward compiled 41 points in two games and, perhaps more impressive, has been shooting the ball much better since then.

He’s shooting 61 percent from the field in his last three games, after starting the season 11-of-35 (31.4 percent). Joseph will be matched up against N.C. State’s leading scorer, Scott Wood, the best shooter on the team. Once he gets hot, he doesn’t miss very often.

But Joseph is the superior player and should win this matchup if he keeps playing the way he has.

Scoop Jardine is coming off a “horrible” night from the way Jim Boeheim sees it. For the second time in Syracuse’s first seven games, Jardine was held scoreless.

He has been distributing the ball well but needs to find his scoring niche soon. He can’t disappear like he has at times this year. N.C. State senior Javier Gonzalez has been splitting time with freshman Ryan Harrow at the point, and the pair has the speed and overall ability to create problems for Jardine if he doesn’t play up to his capabilities.

Advantage: Even

Advantage: Syracuse

SHOOTING GUARD

Brendan Triche vs. Lorenzo Brown

Freshman Lorenzo Brown, not the highly touted C.J. Leslie, has been the Wolfpack’s best freshman this season. Though the 6-foot-5 guard hasn’t been shooting the ball with the best efficiency, he’s second on the team in scoring, rebounds the ball very well and leads the squad in assists. His size and perimeter defense could give Syracuse guard Brandon Triche some trouble. Like Jardine, Triche hasn’t been as consistent as Boeheim would like. It will take a big game for Triche to come out on top in this matchup.

Advantage: N.C. State

POWER FORWARD

CENTER

Fab Melo vs. DeShawn Painter

With starter Tracy Smith out after having arthroscopic knee surgery on Nov. 19, DeShawn Painter will get the nod in the middle for the Wolfpack. Since Smith went down, Painter has started the last four games with mixed results. He hasn’t been dominant, but the 6-foot-9 center has averaged seven points and five rebounds. He’ll be matched up against freshman Fab Melo, who is coming off an eight-point, seven-rebound performance against Cornell. Melo has struggled in the early part of the season, but he’s finally starting to show signs of growth.

Still, will it be enough?

Advantage: N.C. State

Rick Jackson vs, C.j. Leslie

Without question, Rick Jackson has been SU’s best player through the first seven games of the season. He hasn’t gone through the scoring slumps of his veteran counterparts and has dominated opposing forwards inside. His 13 rebounds per game is good for third in the country, and he’s scoring the basketball much more consistently and efficiently than he has at any point during his career. He’ll be matched up against C.J. Leslie, a former McDonald’s All-American considered one of the best athletes in the Atlantic Coast Conference. But Jackson should dominate the smaller Leslie inside.

Advantage: Syracuse

11

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